Frequently Asked Questions

• GENERAL QUESTIONS
• MORGAN CREEK COVENANTS, CONDITIONS, AND RESTRICTIONS (CCRs) / BYLAWS
• HOMEOWNER DUES
• ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

GENERAL QUESTIONS

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Q: How do I access HOA resources or my HOA account?
A: You can access HOA resources and accounts online through our TownSq app. If you have not registered your TownSq account and need assistance doing so, please contact our HOA management company at: communitymanager@morgancreekokc.com.

Q: What is an HOA?
A: An HOA is a non-profit corporation registered with the State and managed by a duly elected Board of Directors. Its purpose is to maintain all common areas and to govern the community in accordance with the provision of the legal documents: CCR's, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. The corporation is financially supported by all members of the homeowners association. Membership is both automatic and mandatory.

Q: How can I volunteer for a committee or the Board?
A: Board - The Morgan Creek HOA Board is elected each year during the annual Neighborhood HOA Meeting. If you wish to run for the Board, please attend in person to have your name entered onto the ballot.

Committees - to join one of our neighborhood committees, navigate to our Committee Signup page and provide your contact information for the committee you wish to join. A committee member will contact you with details.

Current Committees in Morgan Creek are:

• Beautification Committee
• Clean-up Committee
• Covenant Committee
• Events Committee
• Welcome Committee

Q: Who should I contact if I spot a burned out street light?
A: All street lights in the neighborhood serviced by OG&E. To report a street light outage, please contact their Customer Service from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 405-272-9741 or 800-272-9741.

Q: What should I do if I see or suspect suspicious activity within the neighborhood?
A: Call 911 to report what you saw or are seeing. This is the safest, fastest, and most effective way to ensure we all maintain a safe community for us all.

Q: Can I reserve the common areas (i.e., Pavilion, Soccer field, Baseball Field)?
A: Yes, as a Homeowner within Morgan Creek you have access to all available neighborhood amenities when not reserved by another Morgan Creek Homeowner. To reserve, login to TownSq and select the Reservations option.

Q: Have a question we haven't addressed?
A: Contact our Community Property Management Company Representative - Neighborhood Services. They will ensure your request/question is routed to the board to review.
Phone: 405-348-1436

MORGAN CREEK COVENANTS, CONDITIONS, AND RESTRICTIONS (CCRs) / BYLAWS

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Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs) - The Declaration of CCRs is the legal document that lays out the guidelines for the planned community. The CCRs are recorded in the county records in the county where the property is located and are legally binding. This means that when you purchase a lot or a home in a planned community, for example, you automatically become a member of the HOA. Basically, the CCRs are the rules of your neighborhood. They govern what you can, cannot, or must do with respect to your home.

Bylaws - An HOA, which is typically set up as a nonprofit corporation, is an organization established to manage a private, planned community. Like other corporations, the HOA is governed by a board of directors (who are elected by the members) and a set of rules called bylaws. The bylaws govern how the HOA operates and contain the information needed to run the HOA as a business. For example, the bylaws cover matters such as:

• how often the HOA holds meetings
• how the meetings are conducted
• the duties of the various offices of the board of directors
• how many people are on the board, and membership voting rights

You should take the time to familiarize yourself with both the CCRs and the bylaws, so that you are aware of any neighborhood restrictions and you fully understand how the community operates.

For full details on how covenant violations are handled, including notices, fines, and enforcement procedures, please review the Association’s Covenant Enforcement Policy.

Q: What are some examples of the most common HOA violations, and what can I do to avoid them?
A: Some of the most common HOA violations may include:

• Landscaping and Yard Maintenance: Neglecting lawn care, failing to trim bushes or trees, or having overgrown weeds.
  • Tips to avoid - Regularly maintain your yard/flower beds, do not allow weeds to overtake any area, and follow specific HOA guidelines for landscaping.
• Parking Violations: Parking in the street on a routine basis, parking on grass, or improper storage of vehicles such as boats, trailers, or recreational vehicles.
  • Tips to avoid - Use only designated parking areas and review HOA parking policies.
• Improper Exterior Modifications: Making changes to the exterior of your home (e.g., construction, add-ons, installing structures) without prior approval.
  • Tips to avoid - Always submit an Architectural Review Application to the HOA and obtain written approval before starting any projects.
• Short Term Rentals and Home Businesses: Short term rentals and home-based businesses may be restricted under the CCRs and must comply with residential use requirements and any applicable approval requirements.
  • Tips to avoid - Do not operate short term rentals from your home and familiarize yourself with the HOA rules around home businesses, trades, garage sales, moving sales, rummage sales, or similar activities.
• Trash and Recycling Issues: Leaving bins in view after pickup days or improper disposal of waste.
  • Tips to avoid - Follow the City of Oklahoma City’ City’s schedule and HOA requirements, including storing containers to the side or rear of the home and out of view when not in use.

By familiarizing yourself with your HOA’s Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), you can proactively avoid these and other violations and maintain good standing with your HOA. If you’re unsure about a specific rule, reach out to the HOA for clarification.

Q: What should I do if I think a neighbor is violating our rules?
A: Report the violation by logging in to TownSq and submitting a new request.

Q: How does the Association enforce its rules?
A: The Association follows a structured enforcement process with the goal of achieving voluntary compliance. This process may include:

• Courtesy notice
• Follow-up notice(s)
• Opportunity to correct, submit a plan, or request a hearing

Fines are not automatic and are only applied in accordance with the governing documents and enforcement policy.

Q: I got a courtesy notice of a violation. What should I do?
A: This is the easy one. Simply take care of the problem noted in the violation letter and no further action will be taken so long as the violation doesn't reoccur.

Q: I got a fine violation letter. What should I do?
A: Take care of the problem and pay the fine. If you think the letter was sent to you in error, contact the Community Property Manager.

Q: When do fines have to be paid?
A: Within 30 days of the date of the violation letter imposing the fine. A $15 late fee will be assessed if the fine is not paid within 30 days.

Q: What happens if a violation continues or repeats?
A: In accordance with the governing documents, a fine may be assessed when three (3) or more violations of the same type occur within a twelve (12) month period.

Violations are evaluated on a rolling 12-month basis, meaning the most recent violations within the prior twelve (12) months are used to determine whether a fine applies.

Beginning with the third violation, a $100 fine may be assessed for each recurring violation. If earlier violations fall outside the 12-month period, they are no longer counted toward the fine threshold.

Q: Can I appeal a fine or violation?
A: Yes, you can appeal the fine to the Board of Directors by sending a letter to the Community Property Manager. You should clearly state any extenuating circumstances in your letter.

Q: Renters are not taking care of the property, how does the Association handle that situation?
A: Under our CCR's, the OWNER, is responsible for compliance so correspondence, fines, etc. are directed to the owner as he/she is responsible for their tenant’s compliance.

Q: What happens if I don't pay a fine?
A: Unpaid fees may result in a lien being placed on the associated property and/or turning the matter over to our collection agency or the Association's Attorney for collection remedies available to us under State and Federal Law. All costs associated with collection efforts are assessed against the owner.

Q: I reported a violation but nothing has changed. What's going on?
A: Remedies for violations are established by State law and our Rules. The HOA must follow procedures, which takes time, to ensure that compliance efforts will ultimately be successful. You should also be aware that each year bills are introduced in the State legislature to further restrict authority to enforce our CCR's - you can help by participating in efforts to defeat such bills.

Q: The violation has been going on and on and I'm tired of it. Why can't the Association just go in and fix the problem?
A: Under extreme situations, generally related to public health and safety, the Association has the authority to do this but we are subject to additional laws regarding trespass and additional legal procedures. Because it involves a substantial outlay of Association funds for what is clearly the responsibility of the Owner, the Board carefully considers its fiduciary duty to the entire membership before undertaking such action.

HOMEOWNER DUES

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Q: When are HOA Dues sent out?
A: HOA dues are to be paid on or before March 1 ($200 first half annual dues) and September 1 ($200 2nd half annual dues) each year. Notices for dues are sent prior to each due date. Homeowners also have the option to pay their dues in full annually by submitting a full payment prior to the March 1 due date.

Q: How do I pay my dues?
A: There are currently two (2) acceptable avenues to make payment. These are...

• Mail your payment using the payment return address included on the received invoice; or
• By paying online through your TownSq account.

Q: Why do I have to pay the $400 Annual Dues?
A: Almost every planned community is run by a homeowner’s association (HOA), which is made up of all the owners in the development. The HOA’s obligations are set forth in the governing documents for the development (such as Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions (CCR’s), Easements, and sometimes separate Rules and Regulations). Among the HOA’s main obligations is to maintain, repair and replace the common areas.

Q: What do my Annual Dues go towards?
A: Homeowners Association (HOA) dues go towards various expenses related to the maintenance, management, and improvement of our community/neighborhood. These expenses can vary depending on the specific needs we have at any given time, but common items covered by HOA dues are...

• Maintenance and Repairs: This can include landscaping, mowing, tree trimming, pest control, entrances, amenities (park, ball fields, pavilion, green spaces) repairs/upkeep, structures, sprinklers, pond care, fencing, and upkeep of other common areas.
• Utilities: This can include utilities such as electric, water, sewer, trash collection, and street lighting for common areas.
• Insurance: This can include insurance policies to cover common areas, amenities, and liability insurance for the association itself.
• Taxes: This includes tax preparation fees and taxes owed on HOA owned properties.
• Reserve Funds: A portion of the dues may be put into reserve funds for future major repairs, replacements, or improvements, such as placing fencing, replacing roofs of HOA structures, or upgrading community facilities.
• Administrative Costs: The HOA covers administrative expenses such as property management fees, legal fees, accounting fees, and costs associated with holding meetings and maintaining records.
• Amenities and Services: This is includes the community pavilion, baseball field, soccer field, ponds, community events, and any other service provided to the community by the HOA that is not listed.

Q: What happens if I don't pay my Association Dues?
A: Failure to pay dues by the required due date will result in additional charges of 1.5% of the outstanding balance charged each month for as long as the account is past due. In addition, delinquent accounts may be subject to an assessment lien being filed against the property and/or the account being turned over to collections/legal for remedies available to us under State and Federal Law. All costs associated with collection efforts will be assessed against the homeowner.

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

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In accordance with the Morgan Creek Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, Section 4, no Structure shall be placed, erected, or installed on any portion of the PROPERTY/LOT, no alterations of or additions to the existing landscaping, and no improvements (including staking, clearing, excavation, grading, and other site work, and exterior alteration of existing improvement) shall take place within the PROPERTY except in compliance with the design guidelines promulgated pursuant to Section 4.3 of the CCRs.

Section 4.3.2 Procedures - Prior to commencing any activity within the scope of Section 4.2, an Owner shall submit an application for approval of the proposed work to the Architectural Review Committee. Such applications shall be in the Architectural Review Form (ARC) and shall include plans and specifications showing site layout and screening and/or fencing therefore, and other features of proposed construction, as required by the Design Guidelines as applicable. Approval SHALL BE REQUIRED prior to pursuing requested activities.

For a full list and details of these requirements, refer to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, Section 4, of the Morgan Creek CCR's.

Q: What activities require an Architectural Review Application? Do I need one?
A: Almost any building construction or lot change (new, remodel, add-on, enhancement, etc.) within Morgan Creek requires an Architectural Review Application and Approval. When in doubt, submit an Architectural Review Application.

Q: Where can I get an 'Architectural Review Application'?
A: Architectural Review Applications can be submitted online through TownSq using the same credentials that are used for managing your billing account. If you have not registered your TownSq account and need assistance doing so, please contact our HOA management company at: communitymanager@morgancreekokc.com.